In October 2016 DAABON proudly announced the global launch of
the first fair trade palm oil certified by Fair Trade USA, the leading
third-party certifier of fair trade products in North America. We are
incredibly pleased to partner with Fair Trade USA on this initiative. Fair
Trade USA is a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable livelihoods
for farmers and workers, protects fragile ecosystems, and builds strong,
transparent supply chains through independent, third-party certification.
Its trusted Fair Trade Certified label signifies that rigorous standards
have been met in the production, trade and promotion of fair trade products
from over 80 countries across the globe. This new collaboration underscores
DAABON’s continued commitment to producing high-quality food solutions
for the global market using a model that supports and empowers our employees
and our local communities. In fact, we have been working with the fair trade
model for our banana production since 2007.
As a result, DAABON and our valued clients have supported several community
projects such as the creation of various schools, optimization of communal
energy grids and higher education subsidies for associated family members.
Another new certification that DAABON added in 2016 was Non-GMO Project
verification. Concerns over GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms)
have been increasing globally, and consumers in North America have expressed
clear interest in transparency regarding the use of GMO’s in the food
supply chain. The Non-GMO Project is a “nonprofit third-party
organization committed to preserving and building sources of non-GMO
products, educating consumers and providing verified non-GMO choices.”
DAABON’s natural and certified organic agricultural production
practices are free of GMO ingredients and inputs, and therefore fully
compatible with the Non-GMO Project standards. It is our hope that
participation in this program provides a benefit to those customers who
utilize the Non-GMO Project seal by minimizing time spent on documentation
requests. Finally, we are also very pleased to announce that DAABON’s
palm oil production facility, C.I. Tequendama S.A.S., has obtained SQF (Safe
Quality Food) Level 2 certification.
This comprehensive program is recognized by the Global Food Safety
Initiative (GFSI) as verifying a high level of food safety throughout the
production process. It represents significant financial and time commitments
by DAABON leadership and the dedicated work force at the plant to ensure
that strong food safety procedures are in place. The DAABON team has worked
hard to ensure that we are at the forefront of important certification
opportunities in the global marketplace, as we see great value in
collaborating with nonprofit and third-party organizations to confirm and
verify that our products are made with integrity, quality and safety, and we
are excited to add these three important certifications to our growing list
of external partnerships within the industry.
